HISTORICAL TREASURES OF EUROPE Guide book for tourists
Created by Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Slovakia and Portugal
For Erasmus+ project: Historical treasures of Europe
Our project “Historical treasures of Europe” is concentrated on the history of all partnership countries involved into this project.
So during 2 years we were getting information about our countries, historical sights, monarchs, traditions. Each of our countries has different geography, historical sights, castles, habits and We talked about history trying to know it better. In excursions we admired partner countries, their castles, monuments, capital cities.
In our Guide book we would like to approach you our experiences from international excursions, local excursions and show you the most beautiful places which you could see in each country.
Greece Greece is officially the Hellenic Republic (Greek: Ελληνική Δημοκρατία), also known as Hellas (Greek: Ελλάς), It is a country located in Sothern and Southeast Europe. Athens is the nation's capital and largest city, followed by Thessaloniki. Situated on the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula, Greece is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. The Aegean sea lies to the east of the mainland, the Ionian Sea to the west, the Creatan sea and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. Eighty percent of Greece is mountainous, with Mount Olympus being the highest peak at 2,918 metres (9,573 ft). The country consists of nine geographic regions: Macedonia, central Greece, the Peloponnese, Thessaly, Eprus, the Aegean Island, Thrace, Crete and Ionian Islands. SIGHTS IN GREECE In Greece there is a great number of historical sights, with castles, old cities, temples, museums and mansions, to which our school organizes every year trips. During our international meeting we visited them together with our partners. Mycenae The Mycenaean archaeological site, designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, is considered the most important preserved “trace” of the homonymous prehistoric nation and civilization. A lot of impressive mobile finds have been discovered in it and now are exhibited in the largest museums of Greece. The Mycenaean Greeks who were great warriors, bold merchants, seafarers, great artists and poets, laid the foundations on which the glorious Classical era of the 5th century B.C. and the modern Western culture was built. In Mycenae the past is fused with the present as mythical and archetypal forms and persons such as Atreas, Agamemnon, Clytemnestra, Electra, Orestes etc. acquire flesh and bones for the delicate visitor.
Acropolis of Athens The Acropolis, the sacred rock of ancient Athens, is rightly regarded as a symbol of not only this great and old city but also of the very concept of culture. There rises, along with the other buildings left by the ancient Athenians, the Parthenon, the temple of the goddess Athena, the
most important and most famous building of the ancient Greeks, which highlights the great values of their culture: moderation, balance , tranquil splendor, humanity. Commonly bathed in the Attic light, not far from the blue waters of the Aegean Sea, the Acropolis, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, displays more than two and a half thousand years the messages and achievements of a great nation born in the glorious Mediterranean Sea. Mystras The archaeological site of Mystras, which rises at the foot of Mount Taygetos, near the historic town of Sparta in the south of the Peloponnese, is one of the best preserved medieval (Byzantine) settlements in Greece. The impressive palaces of the local leaders, the richest mansions, the exquisite frescoes, the fortified triple walls and the magnificent view of the Evrotas valley give the visitor the opportunity to perceive what a Greek medieval town was like and to feel not only that he has entered to an alien place, but to a unique, remarkable culture. Not coincidentally, UNESCO has included Mystras in its list of World Heritage Sites. Nafplio Nafplio is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in Greece. Built in the Gulf of Argolis, in the northeast Peloponnese, it was the first capital of the modern Greek state when that was established after the end of the Greek revolution in the early 19th century. There took place decisive events in the shaping of today's Greek society. It still retains the ambiance of a large, historic town with its two castles protecting it. Bourtzi, the small islet close to the beach, old buildings, picturesque streets, beautiful squares are just a few of the attractions that the large number of visitors seek apart from the peace and tranquility that it offers! Our excursions in Greece.
Mycenae Internet sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Greece
Nafplio
Acropolis
http://www.visitgreece.gr/en http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/3/eh351.jsp?obj_id=2384 https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/941/ http://www.visitnafplio.com/ https://www.greeka.com/peloponnese/mystras/
Italy Risorgimento – the crucial event in Italian history Risorgimento is the series of events that lead Italy to unity and independence. Indeed, after long battles and with the death of many people, Italy finally became a state, free from foreign domination and independent. After the Congress of Vienna, in 1815, there were three obstacles to unity, (1) the Austrian occupation of Lombardy and Venice in the north; (2) the Papal States that controlled the centre of the Italian peninsula; and (3) the existence of various states that had maintained independence, such as the Kingdom of Sardinia, also called Piedmont-Sardinia, which was considered the most advanced state in Italy, the Kingdom of Sicily, which occupied the island of Sicily and the entire southern half of the Italian peninsula, and other small states such as the duchies of Toscana (Tuscany), Parma, and Modena.
Count Camillo di Cavour became prime minister of the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1852. It was his leadership and policies that led to the unification of Italy in little more than a decade. He was able to persuade Napoleon to a secretly planned war against Austria. In 1859, Cavour caused a crisis that provoked the Austrians and that led to a war. The French came to the aid of the Piedmontese and the Austrians were defeated. The Austrians were forced to surrender Lombardy to Napoleon III. Finally, in 1859, Napoleon transferred Lombardy to the sovereignty of Victor Emmanuel II.
On May 5th, 1860, in Palermo, in the south of Italy, peasants rebelled against King Francesco II di Borbone. That was an opportunity to join the Kingdom of Sardinia to the Kingdom of the two Sicilies. Garibaldi left from Genoa with 1000 volunteers and reached Marsala where, with the help of the Sicilian peasants, the foreign king was driven away. In October 1860 Garibaldi met Vittorio Emanuele II in Teano and “gave” him the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. On 17th March 1861, in Turin, the Kingdom of Italy was finally founded. In 1866 Italy allied with Prussia in a war against the Austro-Hungarian Empire and it finally conquered Veneto in the north of Italy. Italy was not united yet, since, in the central area, the Papal State was still protected by Napoleon III. It was only on September 20th, 1870 that Napoleon III was exiled and that the Italian Army finally succeeded to conquer Rome, too.
Sights in Italy – Sardinia Lu Palazzu di Baldu “The castle was built and used in the Middle Ages, when Sardinia was divided into 4 administrative districts called “Giudicati”. Lu Palazzu is a cube-shaped building about 9 meters high. Today we only have the foundation and the west, north and south sides. It’s located within a village made up of about 20 small buildings. Each building has an entry which faces the courtyard, and this was probably meant
as a protective function, as a way to create a small safe space where people could exchange goods and make objects or tools.
La Basilica di Nostra Signora di Luogosanto The Basilica is located in the middle of the village. It is consecrated to the birth of Mary, and it was founded by the Franciscan friars in 1218. The Basilica has, on its left, a bronze “Holy Door”, which is opened by the bishop every seven years, and it is left open for 12 months. Those who pass by while praying will be absolved of their sins. Legend says that the statue of Maria Bambina was found in a wooden box by the sea and it was carried by an oxen-drawn carriage to Luogosanto. The Basilica was built on the same place where the carriage stopped. San Trano The hermitage is a simple one-room building built with irregular blocks of granite. The blocks are plastered only inside. The floor is made with granite slabs. The roof is made of wood beams covered with canes and protected by roof tiles. The rocks nestled in the building are quite appealing. Especially the one set in the front, which looks like a small cave where the altar is placed. The hermitage is located on a high granite area. From here you can enjoy a view which, on clear days, can go as far as the coasts of Corsica.
Barumini The archaeological site of Su Nuraxi of Barumini is included in the World Heritage List because it is the most complete example of the remarkable prehistoric architecture known as "Nuraghi", unique defensive
structures using megalithic techniques typical of Sardinian prehistoric Bronze Age. During the Bronze Age, at the end of the second millennium BC, the people that inhabited the island of Sardinia started to build these nuragic complexes, possibly as defensive structures against the invasions of Carthaginians. Nuraghi are circular towers in the shape of truncated cones built with stones and vaulted inner rooms. The most beautiful, complete example of this remarkable prehistoric architectural building is at Barumini, in central Sardinia.
Our Excursions in Italy - Sardinia
Basilica de Luogosanto
Palazzo di Baldu
Barumini
Sources -Italy
Lithuania Sights in Lithuania The Centre for Civil Education The Centre for Civil Education was opened on March 10, 2016 as one of the most modern education places in Lithuania. The permanent exhibition of the Centre provides information on how the democratic state and its institutions function; how the citizens of the state can participate in its creation and governance; finally, in what ways is it possible to solve problems that are important for the local community or the whole society. The permanent exhibition is supported by periodically renewed temporary exhibitions, oriented towards the most relevant issues of the time. The major part of the exhibition is created together with the visitors. With the help of contemporary technologies, every visitor is encouraged to develop a personal relation with the material as well as contribute
to the creation of content. By expressing his / her own opinion, every vistor helps to turn the exhibitions into a modern dicussions forum.
SCARS OF MEMORY Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights
The Museum of Genocide Victims was established by the Order dated October 14, 1992 of the Minister of Culture and Education of the Republic of Lithuania and the President of the Union of Political Prisoners and Deportees. It is housed in the same building where from the second half of 1940 even until August 1991 the Soviet security services, best known in the world as KGB, operated. For the Lithuanian nation this building is a symbol of the 50-year-long Soviet occupation, therefore it is of special importance that here the museum is founded to remind the present generation and to tell the future generations about the years 1940-1991, difficult and tragic for Lithuania and its people.
Memorial for Junuary 13th A memorial situated at the house of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania immortalizes the memory of defenders of Lithuania’s freedom and events of January 13th. Fragments of parliamentary defence fortification remained at the houses of the Seimas were incorporated into the memorial. The design of the memorial was created by Vilniaus Architektūros Studija (project manager – Kęstutis Kisielius, author – Alfonsas Vaškevičius) in 2008. Architects preserved an authentic fragment of parliamentary defence walls in 1991 and elements of the fine architecture. Fragments of defence barricades, wooden pillar-type crosses and pillar-type crosses with the historical statue of St. Virgin Mary were enclosed into a spatial glass construction, and photographs of perished defenders of freedom were placed inside it.
Τhe Jews settled in Gargzdai, as in other areas, around the middle of the 17 th century. They were mostly engaged in trade here. It is known that in the interwar period, when approx.. 2.000 people lived in the town, for about 60 percent of the total Gargzdai population consisted of the Jews. Jewish population of the town futher increased after 1939, when Germany joined the Klaipeda region, the wall was removed and a large part of the Jews, living in Klaipeda region, fled from Adolf Hitler’s policy and has moved to Gargždai. As soon as the World War II began, the Germans launched an aggressive policy in Europe. This affected Gargždai as well. During the Second World War the German occupiers exterminated the majority of Jewish population. The memorial for the victims was built close to the bus station of Gargždai. It is a monument with the label in both Lithuanian and Jewish languages: „In 1941, in this place hundreds of Jewish people from Gargždai and its region were killed by Nazis“. Around 300 Jewish women and children were fusilladed in Vėžaitynė forest (area of Vėžaičiai). In memoriam of this tragedy monuments were built in both I-st and II-nd massacre places. Those monuments have white marble slabs with labels in both
Lithuanian and Jewish languages: „Dear passerby, remember the victims of 1941, innocent children, mothers and elders, who were exterminated by Nazis executioners, for being Jewish.”
Our excursions in Lithuania
Trakai castle
Vilnius
Museum 39-45
Sources - Lithuania http://pazinkvalstybe.lt/the-centre-for-civil-education http://genocid.lt/muziejus/lt/563/c/ http://www.vilnius-tourism.lt/en/what-to-see/places-to-visit/places-of-interest/memorial-for-january-13th/ https://www.klaipedosrajonas.lt/pramogos-ka-veikti/kulturiniai-pazintiniai-marsrutai/lankytinos-vietos/ https://www.ve.lt/naujienos/kriminalai/klaipedos-rajone-apvogta-zydu-zudyniu-vieta-ir-kapines-631773/ http://genocid.lt/centras/lt/2654/a/
Slovakia Slovakia lies in the middle of Europe, it is often said in the heart of Europe. We are proud of our mountains such as High Tatras and Low Tatras. There you can see a lot of Mountain lakes such as Štrbské pleso, Skalnaté pleso. The highest peak is Gerlach in the High Tatras. We have a lot of castles, palaces, manor houses in Slovakia. Some of the castles are only ruins now but there are still interesting because of large size, architecture, location. It is worth visiting many of them and get to know very interesting history of Slovakia.
Sights in Slovakia At our school we often organize trips to various historic places, we get to know life of our ancestors in past. We will show you some of the most beautiful and the most interesting sights which you could visit in Slovakia.
Bratislava – the capital city of Slovakia In Slovakia it is eager to visit the capital city – Bratislava. It lies on the river Danube. You could visit here: The castle It is huge rectangular building with four corner towers and it lies on isolated rocked hill of Small Carpatia right above the river Danube in the middle of Bratislava. In Bratislava you can see more beautiful historic buildings such as the President Palace, City Hall, Michael´s Gate, Slovak National Theatre.
Slovak National Theater in Bratislava is the second oldest Slovak theater. It has three complets (drama, opera, ballet). It was founded in 1920 after the rise of Czechoslovakia. It lies in Hviezdoslav square.
The Trenčín Castle The castle is located in Western Slovakia in the city Trenčin. The oldest building is a stone rotunda, probably found in the Great Moravian period. In the 13th to 14th centuries, the castle became the seat of Mathew Csák, the legendary master of the River Váh and Tatra mountain. Legendary water well is matched with the legend of Turkish Prince Omar and his great love to the beautiful Fatime. He had to dig out this well into the rock so we usually called it „the Well of love“.
St. Elisabeth Cathedral It is the biggest church in Slovakia. It is situated in Eastern Slovakia in the city Košice. Gothic cathedral started to be built at the end of the 14th century and the end of construction dates to year 1508. The Complex of the Cathedral and near St. Michael´s Chapels and also Urban tower was declared a national cultural sight in 1970.
Orava Castle It is situated on a high rock above Orava river in the village of Oravský Podzámok in North Slovakia. It is one of the most beautiful castles in Slovakia. The castle was built in the Kingdom of Hungary in the thirteenth century. The original design was in Romanesque and Gothic style; it was later reconstructed as Renaissance and Neo-Gothic structure The mining magnate Thurzo family, who took charge in the mid 16th century, were responsible for a great deal of rebuilding work, although its present form was not finalised until 1611. The castle is now the national monument.
Banská Štiavnica Banská Štiavnica is a town in central Slovakia, in the middle of an immense caldera created by the collapse of an ancient volcano. For its size, the caldera is known as the Štiavnica Mountains. Banská Štiavnica is a completely preserved medieval town. Because of their historical value, the town and its surroundings were proclaimed by the UNESCO to be a World Heritage Site on December 11, 1993. The heart of the town is the historical Trinity Square dominated by a monumental plague column. The square is used for frequent cultural events and there is also a mineralogical museum. Two castles, the so-called “old” one (Slovak: Starý zámok) and “new” one (Slovak: Nový Zámok), have been transformed into museums. The town is surrounded by ancient artificial mining water reservoirs called tajchy.
Church of St, Catherine In Kalvaria of Banská Štiavnica there is a complex of churches and chapels situated near Ostry vrch which was built in the eighteenth century by Jesuits. At our school we organized the excursion to this great town.
Sources - Slovakia https://www.slovakia.com/castles/orava-castle/ https://cz.depositphotos.com/18638693/stock-photo-bratislava-michael-tower-michalska-brana.html http://aresbus.sk/sk/product/nitra-nitriansky-hrad-katedralou-skanzen-ludovej-architektury-slovenske-polnohospodarskemuzeum/ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:D%C3%B3m_sv%C3%A4tej_Al%C5%BEbety_-_z_juhu_(1).JPG http://www.tvnoviny.sk/domace/1790304_trenciansky-hrad-tak-ako-ste-ho-este-nevideli https://www.slovakia.com/sk/hrady/bratislavsky-hrad/ http://skolskyservis.teraz.sk/zaujimavosti/slovenske-narodne-divadlo/17130-clanok.html https://www.slovakia.com/castles/bojnice-castle/ https://medievalheritage.eu/en/main-page/heritage/slovakia/kosice-st-elisabeths-cathedral/
Portugal Portugal (Portuguese: [puɾtuˈɣal]), officially the Portuguese Republic (Portuguese: República Portuguesa [ʁɛˈpuβlikɐ puɾtuˈɣezɐ]), is a country located on the Iberian Peninsula, in Southwestern Europe. It is the westernmost sovereign state in mainland Europe, bordered to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the north and east by Spain. Portugal's territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira, both autonomous regions with their own regional governments. The official and national language is Portuguese. Lisbon is the capital and largest city. Portugal has left a profound cultural, architectural and linguistic influence across the globe, with a legacy of around 250 million Portuguese speakers, and many Portuguese-based creoles. It is a developed country with an advanced economy and high living standards. Additionally, it ranks highly in foreign languages speakers, peacefulness, democracy, press freedom, stability, social progress, and prosperity. A member of the United Nations, the European Union, the Schengen Area and the Council of Europe (CoE), Portugal was also one of the founding members of NATO, the eurozone, the OECD, and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries.
SIGHTS IN PORTUGAL Geographically, Portugal may be a small country, 92 212 km², but it is a fascinating and varied country. There is much diversity from North to South in terms of landscapes, cultures, peoples, gastronomy, historical places and sights. It is bathed by the Atlantic Ocean and it has 800km of coastline, so you can count with amazing beaches. In the South, it receives the influence of the Mediterranean Sea, therefore there are lots of luxurious resorts and lovely fishing villages. There are mountains, cliffs, golden plains, lakes, rivers, forests, vibrant cities, amazing historic towns, historical sights, castles, old cities, temples, museums, breathtaking palaces and country houses, vineyards, famous wine cellars. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, our partners were unable to travel to Portugal to get a taste of it. During our international online meeting we visited some of them virtually with our partners. Porto (capital of The North Region) Porto or Oporto (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈpoɾtu] is the second-largest city in Portugal and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Located along the Douro River estuary in northern Portugal, Porto is one of the oldest European centres, and its core was proclaimed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996, as "Historic Centre of Porto, Luiz I Bridge and Monastery of Serra do Pilar". The historic area is also a National Monument of Portugal. The western part of its urban area extends to the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean. Its settlement dates back many centuries, when it was an outpost of the Roman Empire. Its combined Celtic-Latin name, Portus Cale, has been referred to as the origin of the name Portugal, based on transliteration and oral evolution from Latin. In Portuguese, the name of the city includes a definite article: o Porto ("the port" or "the harbor"), which is where its English name "Oporto" comes from.
Roman Temple in Évora (Alentejo Region) The Roman Temple of Évora (Portuguese: Templo romano de Évora), also referred to as the Templo de Diana (albeit wrongly, after Diana, the ancient Roman goddess of the moon, the hunt, and chastity) is an ancient temple in the Portuguese city of Évora (civil parish of Sé e São Pedro). The temple is part of the historical centre of the city, which was included in the classification by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. It represents one of the most significant landmarks relating to the Roman and Lusitanian civilizations of Évora and in Portuguese territory.
Sintra (Lisbon Area) Sintra is a charming town situated within the cooling hills of Serra de Sintra. Hidden within these pine-covered hills are the Europe’s finest palaces, extravagant villas and the ruins of a Moorish castle. The variety of fascinating historic buildings and beautiful natural scenery combine to form an outstanding destination.
Algarve (The South Region) The Algarve is the southernmost region of continental Portugal. The region has its administrative centre in the city of Faro, where both the region's international airport and public university, the University of Algarve, are located. Tourism and related activities are extensive and make up the bulk of the Algarve's summer economy. Although Lisbon surpasses the Algarve in terms of tourism revenue, the Algarve is still, overall, considered to be the biggest and most important Portuguese tourist region, having received an estimated total of 7.1 million tourists a year. Its population triples in the peak holiday season due to seasonal residents. Due to the high standards of quality of life, mainly regarding safety and access to public health services, as well as due to cultural factors, amazing beaches and considerably good weather conditions, the Algarve is becoming increasingly sought after, mostly by central and northern Europeans, as a permanent place to settle among the world's best places to retire. Our excursions in Portugal were Virtual (mainly the North, Porto and Guimarães) Internet sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portugal https://www.visitportugal.com/en https://web.archive.org/web/20170724142744/http://ww w.turismodeportugal.pt/english/TurismodeportugalIP/Pa ges/TurismodePortugalIP.aspx https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Atlas_of_Portugal https://visitporto.travel/ptInstagram Photos #portugalguide #visitportugal #amar_portugal #visitporto #amar_porto #topportugalphoto #turismodeportugal